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Witham MP pressing rail company about train services

Witham MP, Priti Patel, met with representatives from Greater Anglia on Wednesday [27 June 2018] to raise passenger concerns about rail services and ask Greater Anglia about what steps they are taking to improve their services.

Priti met with Jamie Burles, Managing Director at Greater Anglia, and Jonathan Denby, Head of Corporate Affairs, to raise concerns about the short formation of trains, Delay Repay 15 and the disruption experienced as a result of the track defect at London Liverpool Street. As the Chair of the Great Eastern Main Line Taskforce, Priti also questioned them about Greater Anglia’s longer term strategic plans for the railway and how they are meeting their franchise commitments.

Mr Burles confirmed that the operator has recently experienced some technical problems with rolling stock resulting in short formations, however engineers have been working round the clock to fix these issues and passengers should see fewer short-formed trains from early next month. Mr Burles also advised that the operator was continuing to press for the introduction of Delay Repay 15 and that the final proposals for this would be submitted to the Department for Transport next week.

Priti said:

“I had a productive meeting with Greater Anglia and raised local rail user issues including compensation payments, short formation of trains and the disruption experienced as a result of the track defect at London Liverpool Street two weeks ago.

“My constituents and passengers across the Great Eastern Main Line have recently experienced a number of short-formed trains and overcrowding and I am pleased that Greater Anglia have been working hard to address these issues. Hopefully passengers will see fewer short formations in the coming weeks when these carriages are put back into use and I will continue to follow this up with Greater Anglia.

“I am delighted that Greater Anglia will soon be submitting their final proposal for Delay Repay 15. I have long campaigned for this to be introduced and I will now be encouraging the Department for Transport to look favourably on this proposal and approve the application so it can be introduced for passengers as soon as possible.

“I will continue to work closely with Greater Anglia on these issues to improve rail services for my constituents and other rail users along the Great Eastern Main Line.”